Shroud is one of the most famous gamers in the world. When he quit professional CS:GO to become a fulltime streamer and content creator his rise to mainstream fame was remarkable, and with an audience that big also comes a certain kind of pull with the big brands. People who are interested in the gaming gear scene will know that Shroud used the Logitech G303 for the longest time (though he did use the G Pro X Superlight for a while as well) stating that it was his favorite mouse. The original G303 got discontinued years ago, but given the fact that Shroud was such a vocal fan of the mouse and is affiliated with Logitech, fans of the mouse were hoping he would convince the Swiss brand to revive this old niche classic, and here it is.
The Logitech G303 Shroud Edition is a modern Logitech mouse in every way. It uses their LIGHTSPEED wireless connection (which is flawless), it has their HERO sensor, PFTE feet, and a rechargeable battery. If you look at the specs, everything is here to make it another top gaming mouse by Logitech. Of course specs don’t always tell the full story, which is why we sent a unit over to our reviewer to find out whether or not this oddly shaped (some people have begun calling it ‘the avocado mouse’) ambidextrous mouse is worth your time and money.
Find out everything you need to know about the mouse in our full Logitech G303 Shroud Edition review!
At A Glance
Logitech G303 Shroud Edition
Used by 2 players ()-
shroud
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dooplex
Aside from its rather unsafe shape, the Logitech G303 Shroud Edition is, as we’ve come to expect from Logitech, a fantastic gaming mouse. It has satisfying buttons, a nice (though rather tactile and on the louder side) scroll wheel, good stock feet, a flawless sensor and wireless connection, and it seems to be built well. All elements are here to make this a fantastic gaming mouse, but do make sure that your hands will agree with this shape before committing to it.
Pros
- Great build quality
- Flawless wireless performance
- Great battery life
- Specialized shape makes it ideal for claw grippers…
Cons
- … but the specialized shape makes it unsuitable for any other grip type
- Omron switches might be considered outdated by some
Specs
| Sensor | HERO |
|---|---|
| Polling Rate | 125 / 250 / 500 / 1000 Hz |
| Button Switches | Omron |
| Button Force | 78g |
| Connection | Wireless |
| Shape | Ambidextrous |
| Length | 11.46cm |
| Height | 3.96cm |
| Weight | 75g |
| Width | 6.85cm |
First Impressions
The first thing that you notice when you look at the G303 is obviously the shape. The G303 Shroud Edition has a rather unique shape, which is something that I always welcome when it comes to gaming mice. There’s nothing wrong with creating a super safe shape that fits most people (G Pro X Superlight, …) or making yet another EC-inspired ergonomic shape, for example, but I personally am a big fan of companies that also release ‘specialized’ shapes, even though that usually means that less people will end up using it.
Speaking of the shape: I’ll come clean right away and confess that I don’t have any major experience with the original G303. I won’t be doing any in-depth comparisons between this and the original as a consequence, but I do know that the dimensions have changed a bit, with the G303 Shroud Edition being a larger mouse than its predecessor. That might have something to do with the fact that they molded the mouse to fit Shroud’s hands exactly (perhaps he prefers it to be just a bit bigger when compared to the original) but it’s incredibly important to know if you want a 1:1 replacement for the original G303.
Aside from the unique shape there isn’t really a lot to note about the G303. The mouse really does seem to be aimed squarely at competitive gamers, seeing as there’s not even any RGB to be found. The branding has also been kept to a minimum, with the Logitech logo featuring at the back in a grey tint and a small ‘LOGITECH G X SHROUD’ message underneath the left mouse button.
You might think that the G303 is a small mouse but it actually isn’t. Whereas most of these egg/avocado ambi mice are on the smaller side, the G303 Shroud Edition definitely feels like a mouse that’s made for medium to large hands.
Coming in at 75 grams, it’s not exactly an ultralight mouse, but that is by design. We all know that Logitech is capable of creating extremely light wireless mice, so the weight of this one probably comes down to Shroud preferring a mouse in this weight category and perhaps prioritizing battery life over weight savings.
On top of the mouse you’ll find a DPI button along with a DPI indicator LED between the two main buttons. The DPI button is something that’s been absent from Logitech’s flagship gaming mice, so perhaps this is also something that Shroud insisted on adding.
Packaging
There isn’t a lot to be found inside the sturdy box of the G303 Shroud Edition. You will get a sticker, a quickstart guide, warranty info, a USB-C cable, a dongle for putting your receiver closer to your mousepad, and of course a USB receiver.
It’s important that you hold on to this receiver, and in the interest of this, Logitech has built a little ‘cabinet’ inside the mouse so that you don’t lose your receiver if you’re on the go. More on that later in the review.
As always, I want to mention replacement mouse feet. I am aware that most gamers who are more casual will never replace their mouse feet but with a mouse that’s aimed at competitive gamers I don’t think it’s a big request to ask for some replacement feet. It’s not a huge deal that these are not included of course, so this doesn’t influence my opinion on the mouse in any way.
Shape, Coating, and Mouse Feet
The most eye-catching feature of the G303 Shroud Edition is of course the shape. This diamond-like ambidextrous design has managed to attract an almost cult-like following in enthusiast circles, but don’t let that fool you: this shape is not for everyone. The G303 Shroud Edition seems to be tailor-made for people who employ a claw grip and have medium to large hands. If you use anything else it’s of course always possible to work your way around the shape but this definitely isn’t a safe shape to say the least. That’s not a negative: I already mentioned that I love it when companies try to be a bit more specialized with their shapes, it’s just good to know.
In theory, this should be a great mouse for me. My hands are 18.5×10 centimeters and I use a grip that’s pretty much your standard claw grip these days, so I was quite excited to try this mouse but I have to say that I don’t know how much I like this shape. I can’t get over the fact that it feels a bit too wide for me. That width, combined with the overall size of the mouse gives it a very ‘locked in’ feeling when holding it.
There’s little to no room to make micro movements (think of a tiny adjustment when spraying a gun, for example) by only moving my fingers because the back of the mouse hits the palm of my hand almost immediately with the way I’m holding it and the width and size prevents me from manipulating the mouse using only my thumb and ring finger. This definitely did get better as I got used to the mouse, but if you’re expecting a small and nimble ambidextrous mouse from the G303 Shroud Edition you should adjust your expectations because it’s definitely not in that G305/Orochi V2 category of size and shape. Again: that’s not necessarily a bad thing (perhaps my style of aiming is just bad, or perhaps it’s just not an aiming/grip style that matches this particular shape, and that’s okay) but it’s incredibly useful to know if you’re considering this mouse, definitely because the original G303 was smaller than this new version.
The coating feels like it’s your standard Logitech affair (though the Pro X Superlight’s coating feels just a bit more ‘powdery’ to me, but that could also be because of the fact that I’ve used that mouse for months) and I like their coatings. The coating feels good to me under all circumstances and I had absolutely no slippage issues during my testing. It’s also relatively easy to keep clean, and the transparent side panels feel almost exactly the same as the top shell, so as far as I’m concerned the coating on the G303 Shroud Edition is great.
On the bottom of the mouse you’ll find two large PTFE feet, plus a tiny ring around the sensor. These have a smooth glide straight out of the box without any issues with scratching, but they’re not the absolute fastest feet I’ve ever tried. That’s not a big deal, as I get the feeling that this mouse was based on stability and ‘crosshair placement games’ rather than slightly hyperactive twitch shooters, and I personally am not a fan of super slick feeling mice anyway as I prefer stability myself.
The reason we see two large skates (as opposed to one large one and one smaller one like we see on the G Pro X Superlight) is because of the fact that Logitech has moved their ‘USB receiver compartment’ to a little drawer at the back of the mouse. You could ask yourself questions as to whether or not this is actually necessary but given the fact that this mouse is focused on competitive/professional gamers (who are, as a consequence, playing away from home often) I rather like the addition of a dedicated compartment to store that all-important receiver, as the mouse is practically useless if you lose that.
Recommended Grip Types
As I touched on earlier in the review this is a very specific type of shape. It seems to be made for claw grippers only, and even though it might look like a good fingertip mouse, the size of it plus the fact that the buttons are rather small makes it suboptimal for those grip types if you ask me. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I have absolutely no issues with the fact that this is a rather unsafe shape. There’s plenty of room in the mouse market for specialized shapes so I applaud it when companies go for something different.
As usual, though, I will also add a disclaimer: everyone is different. These ‘mouse x is ideal for grip y’ sections that us reviewers add are just guidelines. Take those with a grain of salt, as everyone is different and everyone’s preferences regarding shape, grip, size, and weight, are different.
Buttons and Scroll Wheel
Logitech has been using Omron switches underneath their main clickers for years now, and despite the fact that more and more attention is being given to other switch manufacturers and switch types in the enthusiast market (and by some other brands) I don’t personally have a problem with Logitech’s clicks. The main buttons on the G303 Shroud Edition aren’t the lightest nor at they the snappiest clicks on the market but they do feel really pleasant to use.
As you may or may not know, I am not a fan of extremely light clickers so for me these feel great. There used to be a time where Logitech buttons were light as a feather and I’m glad they’ve chosen to tweak their buttons to offer slightly more resistance these days. They’re not heavy clicks though: to me they feel very much middle of the pack and I can’t imagine that too many people will have an issue with the way these clicks are tuned.
Nicely tuned switches are worthless if the buttons themselves aren’t up to par though, and luckily they feel great: there is almost no pre-, post-, or sideways travel on either main button, and that combined with the nicely tuned switches makes for a set of main clickers that feels very satisfying to use.
The side buttons are perhaps a bit spongy for my taste, but there is very little travel and, most importantly, the side buttons don’t travel into the shell, no matter where you press them.
The scroll wheel, then, is noticeably more tactile than what I’ve found on previous (recent) Logitech mice. This probably has something to do with Shroud’s penchant for (tactical) shooters, where a wheel with more noticeable steps can feel a lot better than a looser one. Regardless of where you stand on that debate: the wheel on the G303 Shroud Edition didn’t ever become annoying to me, not even when browsing. It’s on the louder side (though it’s nothing compared to the VAXEEs and Zowies of this world) and the steps (it’s a 24-step wheel, by the way) feel very defined but it doesn’t go overboard in either direction if you ask me.
Overall, and as I’ve come to expect from Logitech, the clicks and scroll wheel are very much pleasing to use. Some people might get annoyed by the fact that Logitech isn’t using Kailh switches or some other enthusiast switch but I don’t really have a problem with these Omrons at all.
Build Quality and Cable
Logitech knows how to build ultralight gaming mice with a rock solid shell, so I wasn’t expecting to notice any flaws with the build quality of the G303 Shroud Edition. Squeezing and tapping it does not reveal any rattling or other irregularities, though I can hear a bit of scroll wheel rattle when I shake the mouse. This does not happen when you use the mouse normally so for me it’s not an issue.
I did notice that, when you tap the front of the mouse against your desk or mousepad, you can feel what I can only describe as a springy sensation inside the mouse, as if a coil or spring is vibrating ever so slightly. This doesn’t influence my ingame performance or anything but it’s the first time I’ve ever had this with a mouse so it’s a bit peculiar.
At first I thought that the receiver compartment would feel a bit flimsy or as if it was bound to fail after prolonged usage but that doesn’t seem to be the case. If you didn’t know that the compartment was there you’d never even notice it. I’ve seen some people online calling this feature useless (and I’m not saying that they’re wrong: there’s always an element of subjectivity to reviews) but for me it’s an elegant solution to the USB receiver storage ‘problem’ that also allows you to use full-size mouse skates.
People who follow Logitech’s mice will be glad to know that the G303 Shroud Edition comes with a USB-C charging port as opposed to the Micro USB port that can be found on other flagship mice such as the Superlight. This cable isn’t on par with shoelace-like cables of mice such as the Endgame Gear XM1 but it doesn’t have to be, as the G303 Shroud Edition has a promised battery life of a whopping 145 hours. Still, it’s decently flexible, so if you need to play while charging your mouse you won’t be bothered too much by the cable.
Sensor and Everyday Performance
Logitech’s LIGHTSPEED wireless technology was the first gaming-grade wireless tech to hit the market, and it delivers in spades. The G303 Shroud Edition reacts every bit as fast as wired mice (in some cases it’s even faster, though that’s almost impossible to notice with the naked eye) and I’ve never had any issues with the connection dropping out or lagging on any of Logitech’s wireless mice. The same is true for the G303 Shroud Edition.
Inside of the mouse there is the HERO sensor. This is Logitech’s own sensor and it’s flawless as can be. There’s no snapping, acceleration, or smoothing to be found so the G303 Shroud translates all of your movements to the game with perfect precision. This is admittedly not an oddity in today’s market as a flawless sensor is among the minimum expectations for any gaming mouse worth its salt but it’s of course important to test the implementation of a sensor regardless.
In Logitech’s G HUB software you can customize the mouse to your liking: you can change the DPI and polling rate, for example, but you can also program macros and reassign buttons, so if you’re someone who likes to do these things you’re good with the G303 Shroud Edition. Logitech’s G Hub is a rather inoffensive piece of software, but one feature that I strongly dislike is the fact that (by default) it automatically switches the mouse to its own ‘game profile’ if you boot a game. I use 1600 DPI for gaming and productivity, for example, and when I booted VALORANT my DPI was suddenly at 800 because it switched to the VALORANT profile and 800 was still the default there. It’s immediately noticeable and it’s a very easy fix (just lock the settings so that they’re persistent across all profiles or go with onboard memory) but I can’t for the life of me figure out why having this feature activated by default seemed like a good idea. It’s just a minor annoyance, but it’s been persistent across all recent Logitech mice I’ve tested so I felt the need to point it out.
Logitech G303 Shroud Edition Review – Conclusion
The rerelease of the G303 shape has been something that was long awaited in enthusiast circles. Thanks to Shroud we now get this coveted shape in a modern day package, but do note that this, contrary to something like the G Pro X Superlight/G Pro Wireless, is not a safe shape. The G303 Shroud Edition is almost exclusively a claw grip mouse, and thanks to the size increase when compared to the original G303 it’s also not going to be ideal if you have smaller hands. That’s not something negative: I love mice that are focused on being the perfect mouse for a certain grip type or game type, even if they don’t fit me personally, but it is of course extremely important to know what you’re getting into if you’re considering buying this mouse.
Aside from its rather unsafe shape, the Logitech G303 Shroud Edition is, as we’ve come to expect from Logitech, a fantastic gaming mouse. It has satisfying buttons, a nice (though rather tactile and on the louder side) scroll wheel, good stock feet, a flawless sensor and wireless connection, and it seems to be built well.
All elements are here to make this a fantastic gaming mouse, but do make sure that your hands will agree with this shape before committing to it.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
it is realy nice mouse for claw grip mouse:) ………
Yes, it really seems to be made for claw grippers especially!